The subject a docking system, which essentially comprises at least one docking station for at least one self-propelled working tool, and includes the working tool itself, preferably intended for attendance of ground or floor, such as grass-cutting, moss-scratching, watering, vacuum-cleaning, polishing, transportation, or the like, and the docking station and the tool can by way of emitted signals establish contact with each other, so that the tool can drive up to the docking station, and the docking station is provided with at least one first transmission part for transmission of energy and/or information between the docking station and the tool, which is provided with at least one cooperating second transmission part.
The idea to create a working tool, which manage completely by itself, such as a robot lawn mover or a robot vacuum-cleaner, is old, but has been difficult to realize. The solar cell-driven lawnmower, called Solar Mower, is however an example of such kind of product. It cuts the grass within a border cable, which has been placed in order to fence off the cutting area. Preferably the border cable is buried into the ground. A signal generator feeds the border cable with current, whose magnetic field affects a sensing unit on the working tool. Since the working tool is driven by solar cell energy, it is reduced to work with very low power, only slightly more than 10 watts. This means that the maximum ground area which the working tool could manage to cut will be limited. Furthermore, the solar cell operation as well as the demand for low power consumption lead to a relatively complicated and expensive design.
An immediate idea would be to create a battery-powered cutting machine, which should be connected manually for recharging its batteries. This would enable a simpler cutting machine, however, at the same time the big advantage of having a fully automatic grass cutting machine would disappear. Obviously, the same also applies for a battery-powered vacuum-cleaner. Docking stations for recharging of battery-powered, loop-controlled trucks are probably known. The design of such kind of docking system is essentially facilitated by the fact that the docking procedure takes place on even floors.
The purpose of the subject invention is to substantially reduce the above outlined problems by creating a docking system, which is applicable both on rough ground as well as on even floors.
The above purpose is achieved in a docking system in accordance with the invention having the characteristics appearing from the appended claims.
The docking system in accordance with the invention is thus essentially characterized in that the docking station is designed as a base plate, intended to be placed on ground or floor, and provided with at least one rising part, of which at least one part is used for attachment of the transmissions part/s, and the docking station is so adapted that the tool with any part, such as wheel/s or a body, can drive up on the docking station. Since the tool can drive up on the docking station with any part, it is assured that the tool will end up in a sufficiently exact position in relation to the transmission part/s. In case the docking station will be placed on a lawn or another rough ground, this matter of fact is extremely important. In a preferred embodiment of the invention contact between the tool and the docking station is established by way of a first cable, called search cable. Its one connection leads to the station in a docking direction, so that the tool can drive up to the station in the desired docking direction. Furthermore, the transmission parts of the docking station as well as the working tool are preferably adapted for transmitting electric energy between the docking station and the tool. These and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of various embodiments with the support of the annexed drawing.